Outbound
by CoffeeEyes
Summary: This is a sequel to my Sleeping Sickness series. You COULD read it without reading Sleeping Sickness, but I'd suggest doing that first. Sleeping Sickness is only 4 parts, so it shouldn't take you long. Cooper and blaine continue struggle to survive as brothers and lovers in the zombie apocalypse.
1. Face This Onward Now

**This is a sequel to my Sleeping Sickness series. You COULD read it without reading Sleeping Sickness, but I'd suggest doing that first. (Sleeping  
Sickness is only 4 parts, so it shouldn't take you long.)  
And I just want to thank all of you who waited so patiently for this!**

* * *

"Just like that," Cooper says softly from behind his little brother. They're standing together in a lush green field, grass up to their knees, in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Blaine's arms are raised, steadying the pistol in his hands and he's taking deep breaths like Cooper had instructed.

"Can I _shoot_ it now?" Blaine asks, exasperated.

"Not yet," Cooper replies, voice still quiet, "You need to relax." Blaine lets out yet another frustrated deep breath at his brother and rolls his shoulders back, attempting to do as he says. It's hard to relax, with the world the way it is, but he tries to take his advice.

It's been over a week since the brothers made it to Colorado. Over a week since they separated from their friends. And over a week since their talk on the bridge. The thought of the talk alone, causes Blaine's heart to race – despite the fact that he's trying to calm himself – and Cooper's hands hovering just slightly over his hips don't help.

In the following week after finding Red Cliff, (the small mountain town they came across after leaving Vail) Cooper and Blaine had settled down in a small cabin and things became somewhat normal. Or as normal as they were going to be. They decided to stay for a while, despite Blaine's initial protest, and Cooper had assured him that they would still look for their parents, but they needed to have their own strength, too. So while they were gathering supplies and resting in the small town, the two had time to relax, and enjoy one another as they had both been aching to do.

"You need to be able to calm down like this, no matter what situation you're in," Cooper says, shaking Blaine out of his thoughts, "I don't care if there are thirty of them and you think we're horribly outnumbered. If you're not calm and steady, you're not going to hit any, and then we _will_ be fucked." Blaine nods in response, still breathing deep and trying to stop his hands from shaking. When Cooper _finally _decides that he's ready, he breaths out, "_Now_," and points toward the coffee can that's sitting on a log a few yards away.

At that, Blaine takes one last deep breath before pulling the trigger. The gun kicks back – which he's used to now, thankfully – and a loud _bang _rings out in the air, reminding Blaine again why they decided to drive _away_ from camp to train. When he sees the coffee can still standing, though, he lets out a sigh. "Fuck."

"It's okay," Cooper assures, "I never got it on my first try either." Without warning, his arms wrap around Blaine and come to rest around the younger boy's, raising them again. Blaine's breathing hitches as he feels Cooper's breath hot on his neck – and he wishes that he'd just kiss it – and he takes a moment to try to calm himself. "Try again," He says softly, "I've got you."

Blaine takes a few deep breaths, his body moving in time with Cooper's. He can feel their breathing, their movements, their heartbeats synchronize, and he takes one last deep breath before pulling the trigger again.

When the coffee can goes flying off the log, Blaine wants to jump with joy, but settles with turning around quickly to hug his brother, squealing something along the lines of, "I did it!" When the boys finally pull apart, Cooper is smiling down at Blaine like a proud parent. His eyes dart momentarily to the younger boy's lips and he _almost _leans down to kiss him, but Blaine beats him to it, leaning up on his toes to press their lips quickly together.

It isn't until the boys hear the faint sound of rocks tumbling down the hill and something moving toward them that they pull apart and turn their heads in the direction of the noise. They allow themselves to hope (stupidly) that it's a deer for once, but aren't surprised when what appears to be a former park ranger with a missing arm and a nasty snarl comes stumbling aimlessly down the hill. "I knew we were pushing it by practicing here every day…" Cooper mumbles to himself, pulling out his own gun to kill the undead man. He pauses when he sees his brother – _lover_ – raising his own weapon instead. And he watches as Blaine steadies the gun, takes aim, lets out a deep breath, and fires. In an instant, the man's head is practically exploding and he hits the ground.

"You're getting good," Cooper compliments, smiling. The old him wouldn't smile at a time like this – Blaine just _shot_ and _killed_ a man for crying out loud – but that part of him died long ago when he buried an axe in the head of a small girl who had been trying to kill his brother.

"I have a good teacher," Blaine replies coolly, smiling back up at him. The older boy gets lost staring down at him for a moment before shaking himself out of it and motioning toward the car.

"We should probably get going. I'm sure those shots attracted some more, and we don't want to be here when they show up," He explains, leading the way back to the car. Once they're inside and pulling away, Blaine's hand finds Cooper's naturally and their fingers intertwine much like they did on that fateful day when they left their home behind. Cooper can't help but think about how much has changed since then, some things for the better. He glances at Blaine, who smiles back at him and squeezes his hand lovingly.

The town is practically deserted, save for a roamer every once in a while, which Cooper usually kills quietly, so as not to attract any more. So when the boys pull up to the now familiar grocery store around four or five, (if Blaine's watch is still correct) they're not nervous in the least bit. They walk inside after unlocking the doors (Cooper had found the keys and insisted on locking it up every time they left so there would never be an unexpected zombie inside) and start piling food into their backpacks, taking only what they need for now.

"Honey, what should we have for dinner tonight?" Blaine jokes, strolling down the canned foods isle, grinning at his brother.

Cooper rolls his eyes and shakes his head, but plays along, "I dunno… I was thinking a romantic dinner of raviolis?"

"Sounds delicious," Blaine teases back, coming up to wrap his arms around his waist and kiss his chest.

The boys make quick work of finding food, especially perishables that haven't quite expired yet, and head out to their car a few minutes later. Maybe it's because they feel safe while they're alone in the grocery store, or maybe it's because they let their guard down when they were inside, but either way both boys are caught off guard when something practically tackles Blaine to the ground as they exit the building. When he opens his eyes after falling – and thankfully not hitting his head – he's met with two dead eyes staring right back at him, white and glossed over and hungry. "Coop-" He manages to squeak out, hoping his brother is right there, as he holds the snapping and snarling jaws away from his own face. The woman's face – or the half that isn't already chewed off – is _covered_ in blood and it smells and Blaine has to hold back a gag as he tries to push her away, his heart racing.

And then, thankfully, he feels a _thunk_ and opens his eyes again to see the tip of the pickaxe that Cooper found the other day sticking out of her forehead. He can see – and _feel_ – the blood and other fluids spilling out of the woman's face and onto the front of his shirt and he shakes his head as his brother helps him stand back up, "Well, there goes _this _shirt…"

The look in Cooper's eyes says _not now, Blaine,_ and it makes the younger boy quit joking and glance around to make sure that there aren't any more of them before pulling off his soiled shirt and tossing it on the ground next to the limp body. The boys wordlessly grab their things and head back to the car, double checking over their shoulders, then drive off. "I'm sorry," Blaine finally says, breaking the silence as they make their way back to their new found home, "I know you hate it when I joke about shit like that."

"I do," Cooper says, staring straight ahead, "And it's okay. I just… I don't like thinking about losing you…"

"Then don't," Blaine replies softly, reaching out to caress his leg, "I'm right here."

Cooper turns to smile at him, "I know."

"I love you," Blaine says simply, and smiles when his brother returns the words.

They heat some raviolis over a fire that evening before the sun goes down – just as Cooper had promised – and are inside before it gets dark out, a couch barricading the front door. They're held up inside a small cabin they found after getting into town on their first day. It was the only house that looked abandoned, not because the occupants were dead, but because nobody was currently living there. There had been a _gone fishing_ sign hanging on the front door, and after little searching, Cooper found a spare key and came to the conclusion that it was probably someone's vacation home. The house was mostly bare when they found it, just the essentials, but after some searching, the brothers uncovered two shotguns in the master bedroom and immediately loaded them into the car.

It's about ten that night when the boys find themselves laying side by side in the bed upstairs, Cooper's arm draped lazily around Blaine's middle as they both think to themselves. And Blaine – though he doesn't want to worry about stupid things because he and Cooper are more than _fine_ – can't help but think about things between them. Though they have been great ever since their talk on the bridge, they also haven't had sex since their first time. He knows it's something stupid and trivial to worry about, but then he thinks that maybe it's a _good_ thing to worry about. It's definitely better than worrying about dying at any given minute.

"Hey Cooper?" He finally asks, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"Yeah?" Cooper replies sleepily as Blaine turns to face him. His flashlight is sitting upright on the nightstand next to the bed, giving them some light, but he's on the verge of falling asleep until he looks at his brother's face.

"Let me know if I'm stupid or whatever for worrying about this…" He starts, suddenly feeling like a nervous teenager, "But why haven't we… _you know_… since Missouri?"

Cooper's body suddenly freezes at the memory. Not because it's a _bad_ memory by any means, but because it's one of the few times he's allowed himself to think about it. Though he and Blaine worked everything out and are now _together_ – Blaine even called Cooper his _boyfriend_ the other day – they haven't discussed sex, or the sex they _had_ over a week ago. It's not that he regrets it, necessarily, but he _does_ regret how it happened. He wishes his first time with Blaine had been _perfect_, not rushed and unsure and somewhat angry. "I uh… I don't know," Cooper replies honestly, "I guess we've just had a lot to worry about…" When his brother is just silent in return, he speaks again, "Did you_ want_ to?"

"Well I mean…" Blaine takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and his racing heart but he can't because he's talking to his brother about _sex_, for Christ's sake. "I do. But… Only if you want to."

"Jesus, Blaine," Cooper says, smiling and shaking his head a little against the pillow, "_Of course_ I want to. I just… I want it to be special, you know? I kind of fucked _that_ up last time and we haven't really had the time to talk about sex and I didn't want to stress you out more and-"

He's cut off, though, when a pair of now familiar lips press softly against his own. Blaine pulls away after a second, smiling softly, "We have time _now_."

The words practically make Cooper shudder, and it's hard for him to keep his cool when he replies with, "_Now_?"

"Now," Blaine confirms, smiling, "I'm all for making it perfect _now_."

"Fuck," Cooper mutters in response, "Alright. Yeah." Instead of diving in and kissing Blaine though, he just lays there, head propped up on his elbow, unsure of what to do next.

"You know, I'm sure there's some candles around here, if you want it to be _really_ romantic," Blaine teases, trying to lighten the mood, and thankfully it works.

Cooper cracks a smile before replying, "It's okay. This is perfect."

_It's perfect because it's Blaine._

At those words, he leans in, pressing his lips delicately to Blaine's. The kiss is soft, much like the ones they've shared since their talk on the bridge, and Cooper can't help but note the difference between it and their very first kiss. Before he really has time to think about it, though, Blaine's tongue is probing gently at his lips and he parts them, the taste of his brother filling his mouth.

It isn't until Cooper moves to straddle over Blaine's hips that he pauses, pulling away and looking down at him. "You're sure?" He asks nervously. Even though they've done this before, this time is more intimate. It means more, and Cooper wants to make sure that Blaine is okay.

The younger boy nods, his eyes bearing back into Cooper's, "I'm sure."

At that, Cooper lets his hands settle at the hem of Blaine's shirt, tugging up on it before pulling it over his head when he lifts his arms in response. Blaine mimics his actions, leaving both boys shirtless in the dim light of the bedroom, taking eachother in. Cooper's hands splay out across his brother's chest then up to his shoulders and back down his arms, learning his body – taking his time, unlike before. "You're beautiful, B," He murmurs softly, drinking in the boy underneath him.

"_You_ are," Blaine breaths back, unable to really say much more – not with the way that Cooper is looking at him. With that, Cooper is diving down again, his lips attaching to the crook between Blaine's shoulder and his neck, smirking slightly at the whimpering noise the younger boy makes when he sucks the skin into his mouth, and he makes a mental note to do that again.

It doesn't take long before the older Anderson's hands are trailing down Blaine's chest and stomach, stopping at his hips as they kiss again, toying tentatively with the skin just above his jeans. His heart is pounding in his chest at the thought of pulling the offending fabric off, and he has to stall for a moment to collect his thoughts. So instead of moving his hands lower, Cooper goes back to kissing down Blaine's neck and chest, loving the sounds that he makes in return.

It isn't until Blaine thrusts his hips up slightly that Cooper stops kissing at his neck and pulls away again, looking down at him. He wants to ask Blaine if he's sure again, _just in case_, but by the look on his brother's face and the way his hips are moving underneath him, he knows that he's more than sure. His hands finally find the button on his jeans, and when Blaine just smiles nervously up at him in return, he pops them open and slides them halfway down his legs and Blaine kicks them the rest of the way off.

Within a few seconds, Cooper is sliding down Blaine's body, kissing his way down until he's level with his hips, and then he looks up and speaks for the first time since he pulled Blaine's shirt off. "Can I?"

The younger boy nods his head yes quickly, and at that, Cooper hooks his fingers under the waistband of his boxers and slips them off, leaving him completely exposed. He doesn't waste any time before he's leaning forward, breathing in Blaine's scent and kissing at his thighs. Blaine's fingers immediately thread through his hair as he does so, and even though Cooper hasn't even touched him yet, he throws his head back, breathing heavily.

Finally, after what seems like forever, Cooper leans forward, taking just the tip of Blaine's cock into his mouth and sucking tentatively, earning a whimper in return. "C-Coop please," Blaine whines out, his fingers gripping his brother's hair roughly.

It doesn't take long before Cooper is letting the rest of his mouth sink over Blaine, and it doesn't take long before Blaine is bucking up and moaning out, "Cooper stop, I-I don't wanna come. Not yet…" And what that, Cooper pulls off of him with an obscene _pop_ and sits up, studying him with lust blown eyes.

"You're sure..." He manages out one last time, causing Blaine to roll his eyes in return.

"Yes, I'm sure, you idiot," He jokes, smiling up at him, before grabbing at the back of his neck at pulling him down for a kiss. And it isn't long before Blaine is tugging down at Cooper's jeans and boxers, leaving them both naked on someone else's bed.

"I- I wish I had… I mean I don't have any…" Cooper starts then trails off after pulling away from Blaine again, trying to tell him that he wishes he had lube, to make it better for him.

"It's okay," Blaine reassures, smiling up at him, "I trust you. It's okay. Just… Please…" And at that, Cooper leans down again, kissing Blaine hard. And he can't help but think that he couldn't have asked for a more perfect lover.

Before long, one of Cooper's spit slicked fingers is circling Blaine's entrance and Blaine is writing on the sheets underneath him, whimpering out something along the lines of, "_Fuck, Cooper, please just do it…_" He makes quick work of preparing him – much like the last time only more gentle – and it isn't long before Blaine is whining out variations of _fuck, Cooper _and _please_ from underneath him, grinding down against his fingers. And it isn't long before Cooper is pulling his fingers out and replacing them with the head of his cock, staring down at Blaine lovingly.

"I love you," He murmurs, leaning down to kiss him, and his heart thrills when Blaine repeats the words back to him.

At that, he presses slowly into Blaine's tight heat, sighing out as he does so. Blaine's _tight_ and _fuck,_ Cooper doesn't know why he didn't draw this out last time. He doesn't know how he didn't stop to enjoy it, like he is now. Blaine's muscles clench around him, dragging against him as his hips push forward. Once he's fully sheathed, he stops, lowers his head onto Blaine's chest, and lets out a shuddering deep breath.

It isn't until he feels Blaine tremble underneath him that he lifts his head, glancing up at his brother, "You okay?"

Blaine nods furiously, "Please just… _move_." At that, Cooper pulls out slowly, before thrusting back in and biting down on Blaine's shoulder to muffle a moan. "You don't – _ah_ – you don't have to be quiet," the younger boy manages to get out as Cooper sets up a rhythm and just the thought of it sends a tremor through Cooper's body. _He doesn't have to be quiet for fear of someone – or something – hearing._ They're alone, finally, and Blaine is writing underneath him, practically begging him to be loud. To enjoy himself.

"_Fuck_," Cooper groans, gripping Blaine's hips hard enough to leave bruises the next morning, "_Blaine_…"

The little _ah ah ah's_ that begin to escape Blaine's mouth as Cooper picks up the pace practically drive him nuts and add to the heat already pooling in his stomach, and when Blaine cranes his neck up to kiss him and whisper _let go_, that's it. Even if he wanted to, Cooper can't control the snap of his hips as he pounds into Blaine, drinking in the sight of his back arching and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

It only takes a few more thrusts from Cooper and a flick of his wrist on Blaine's cock before the younger Anderson is coming hot across their chests, still thrusting back against him, whispering _come for me, Cooper_ in his ear. And that's all it takes before Cooper is coming as well, finishing inside of Blaine before pulling out and rolling onto the bed next to him.

It's a long while before either boy speaks again, but it's not an uncomfortable silence. Cooper closes his eyes, a smile playing across his lips as he listens to the crickets chirp off in the distance outside the house. He catches himself wondering if things like crickets even know that the world has changed, and decides that they probably don't. And then he decides that just because things _have_ changed, it doesn't mean that they have to change for him and Blaine. They still love eatchother, even if they're on they're own, and Cooper knows he still has to protect his little brother, but he's okay with that. As long as they have eachother.

"I love you," Blaine says softly after a few minutes, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"I love you too," Cooper replies without so much as thinking it. It's second nature to him, and he knows that it's nothing short of the truth.

Blaine sits up to pull the covers over them and turns to his side, waiting for Cooper to wrap his arm around his middle and nuzzle his face into the back of his neck like he always does now. And sure enough, Cooper does it without thinking, and lets out a deep breath before kissing the skin just under Blaine's hairline.

It's silent between the two again for another ten minutes, and Cooper begins to think that Blaine is asleep until he speaks again, "Coop, are you awake?"

"Yeah," He breaths back.

It's quiet for a moment before Blaine speaks again, as if he's trying to decide what to say. "Do you think this will be our permanent home?" He finally asks, voice unsure.

"I…" Cooper starts, trying to come up with the right answer. He wishes – _god, _he wishes – that they could just stay there. But Cooper knows that they came out to Colorado to at least _try_ to find their parents – not to give up when they're almost there. That, and even if they don't find their parents, he knows that eventually, they're going to have to find a better, sturdier house to live in. They need to find something that can withstand anything. "I don't think so, B," He finally manages.

Blaine sighs, "I didn't either."

"I'm sorry-" Cooper begins to say, but he's cut off.

"No, it's okay," His brother interjects, "I knew that we'd have to leave eventually. I just wish that it could always be like this…"

"I know," Cooper sighs, tightening his grip around Blaine's waist, "Me too."


	2. Borrowed Cars and Rented Homes

**Borrowed Cars and Rented Homes**

* * *

_"We live in borrowed cars and sleep in rented homes._  
_That's why we try to keep each other- in fear we'll die alone."_

_- "I Told You So" - Transit_

* * *

After another week in the Red Cliff house, Blaine and Cooper decide that it's time to leave. It actually starts as an argument between the brothers as they're gathering food in town one day, and it ends with Cooper caving and agreeing with his little brother.

"We're starting to run low on food here…" Cooper sighs as they walk together down the now familiar canned food isle of the grocery store.

"Not like that matters," Blaine replies, maybe a little too sarcastically.

"What does that mean?" Cooper asks back, glancing over his shoulder at him.

Blaine shrugs, "It means that we're leaving soon, anyway, aren't we?"

Though Cooper _knows _that they should leave soon, because they do need to find their parents and the house isn't really that safe, he's been avoiding it. The past few weeks alone with Blaine in the small cabin have been wonderful. They spend every day together, gathering food and supplies, but by the time the sun sets, the spend the night tangled in eachother, forgetting all about the ruined world around them. Cooper is worried that once they leave, they'll have to be on their toes all the time again, and those moments will go away.

When he doesn't reply, Blaine stops walking, "_Right_ Cooper?"

"Well… Yeah," Cooper sighs, stopping and turning to look at him again, "It's just… we don't know how bad Aspen is. What if it's overrun?"

"That's why you've been training me almost every day, Coop," Blaine argues, voice harsh, "We came to Colorado to try to find Mom and Dad, not to sit in some shitty cabin for weeks." Blaine's words hit Cooper hard, because it has only been a week since his little brother was laying in his arms, asking if they really _have _to leave, and now he's the one pushing it.

"I know…" Cooper mumbles, looking down, "I just worry is all."

"We'll be _fine_ Cooper," Blaine shoots back, "We need to give it a shot. Please."

"We will," Cooper almost snaps, then steadies his voice when he sees the hurt look on Blaine's face, "I just… I don't want to think about what would happen if it _is_ overrun. I don't want to risk losing you…"

Blaine's face softens and he takes a few steps toward Cooper, "And you think I want to risk losing _you_?" He smiles a half smile, "We'll be careful, Coop, like we always are."

Cooper nods, "I know…"

"We'll talk about this more once we get to the house," Blaine says smiling before he leans up on his toes and places a kiss on Cooper's lips.

And they mean to talk about it when they get back, but they don't really get the chance. When the boys walk out the car, they see a couple of corpses wandering down the street and they quickly and quietly make their way to the car. Cooper winces as he starts it, attracting the attention the zombies, and he peels out of the parking lot, hoping that they don't follow them back to the cabin.

What Cooper doesn't expect, though, is what they find when they pull up to the cabin. In the far side of a field across from the house, they can make out what looks like a crowd - _a herd_ - of zombies, making their way toward town.

"What the fuck?" Blaine whispers, staring at the window and hoping that he's just seeing things. They've come across big groups before, but nothing like _this_.

"Blaine," Cooper says numbly back, "Get in the house. Get your things." He considers going inside and waiting it out for a split second, but decides against it because _what if we've already been spotted?_ He can't take that risk.

"_What?_" The younger Anderson whispers harshly, turning toward him.

"It's time to go," Cooper confirms, unbuckling his seatbelt, "Come on. We only have so much time."

Both boys rush inside. Cooper sprints up the stairs, gun in hand, and begins throwing clothes into both of their bags, while Blaine stays downstairs, gathering food and other supplies. Within a couple of minutes, Cooper is running back down the stairs with both bags in hand to meet Blaine, who is just finishing packing things in the living room. The older brother glances out the window, and his heart sinks when he sees that the monsters are nearing the road in front of the house. "Do you have everything?" He asks, hushed.

"Everything we need," Blaine replies, glancing up at him, worried.

"Lets get out of here, then," He whispers back, and then both boys are sprinting out of the house and throwing things into the car, just as the herd gets to the road. He can see their dead, bloody faces as they near, and though he's seen plenty of zombies by now, the sight still fills him with terror. Cooper panics for a split second before throwing the car in reverse and peeling out into the front yard instead of into the now occupied street. The car - thankfully - plows easily through the small wooden fence, and within a minute, the boys are speeding through the town's main street, leaving the cabin behind.

Blaine lets out a deep breath as they leave town, "That could have gone a lot worse."

"Yeah…" Cooper replies, nodding in agreement.

The car ride out of town is silent. And it's silent as they cross the familiar bridge, and Blaine reaches his hand over the center console to grab Cooper's.

It isn't until they're on the highway that Cooper glances down at the gas gauge, and curses under his breath. In the commotion of trying to get out of town, he hadn't even thought about gas. Now, they only have a little more than a quarter of a tank left, and they don't even know where they're going to stay once the sun sets.

"What?" Blaine asks, when he sees the look on Cooper's face.

"We don't even know where we're going," Cooper sighs out, "What if we run out of gas before we find somewhere to stay?"

Blaine, always the problem solver, doesn't say anything. Instead, he just grabs the Colorado map that they picked up at some rest stop and scans the page. "Well we're not too far from the highway," He says, his eyes traveling over the page, "I bet we can get to Eagle by the end of the day and find a house to stay in… Or at least find a secluded spot to sleep in the car…"

Cooper can't help but note how much Blaine has changed since things started. Before, he relied on his older brother to tell him where they were going or what they were going to do. Before, he had been terrified of the thought of sleeping in the car. Now, he is taking charge, being the level headed one. He knows what he's doing, or is at least starting to get the hang of it. Cooper can't help but think that maybe this world is good for Blaine. That maybe he fits in here. "Yeah," He finally replies, "That sounds good. I'm sure there's some cars around there that we can siphon gas from, too."

It's only about a forty minute drive from the time they get to the highway to Eagle, and once they get there, both boys' hearts sink.

The city is practically burned to the ground. And recently.

The buildings in the downtown area of the city are still smoldering as they boys drive slowly by, staring at the window at it. "Lightning?" Blaine asks, staring out the window. There had been a thunder storm that had rolled through a few nights ago, but Cooper knows that if it had been lightning, the fire wouldn't have stopped at just the town. No, there had been some kind of accident.

Or it was on purpose.

Cooper shakes the thought from his head as they drive by, "Where's the next town?"

"Glenwood Springs," Blaine replies quickly, looking down at the map, "But… It's an even bigger city than this one, Coop. It's probably overrun."

"Well we don't really have any other choice," Cooper sighs, "We'll figure something out."

And they do. Sort of.

The brothers are about halfway through what they learn is Glenwood Canyon, when they run out of gas. Thankfully - despite Cooper muttering _fuck fuck fuck fuck_ under his breath - they manage to pull the car down some off ramp and into a deserted looking rest stop parking lot.

"Well at least we found somewhere decent to stay…" Blaine sighs, stepping out of the car.

"But we still don't have gas," Cooper argues softly, surveying their surroundings.

Blaine glances up at the sky, and calculates that they probably have about an hour or so until the sun starts setting. "We can walk up to the highway," He offers, "We still have those gas cans, and I'm sure there will be some cars up there."

"Yeah," Cooper agrees, nodding, "I guess that's all we _can _do."

So that's how the brothers find themselves walking together down the highway, surrounded by high rock cliffs on both sides and a roaring river to their left. "It really _is_ beautiful," Blaine remarks, smiling to himself, "No wonder Mom and Dad love coming out here so much."

"It is," Cooper comments, noticing how Blaine says _love _and not _loved,_ "Too bad we didn't see this until now."

Blaine shrugs, "But come on… How many people get to see it like _we_ do? How many people do you think have got the chance to _walk_ down this highway and actually admire it?"

Cooper chuckles, "Always looking on the bright side."

"We'd both go crazy if I didn't," Blaine says back, smiling up at his brother.

It's hard for Blaine to be positive, though, when they eventually find at least ten cars, and every single one is out of gas.

"There's no way they _all _ran out of gas," Cooper mumbles, standing up after they try yet _another _car with no luck.

"It's like someone already got to them," Blaine agrees, sighing as he stands as well. "Should we go back?"

"Might as well," Cooper sighs, "We can pick up searching tomorrow. I don't want to be out here when the sun sets." And just as the boys are about to turn around to head back, Cooper hears what sounds like the crunch of a boot on the gravel of the side of the road. He reaches his hand out, stilling Blaine, and nods his head, silently telling him that there's something behind them.

On the count of three, both brothers spin around, weapons raised, prepared to fight. What they find, though, surprises them.

It surprises them because it's not a zombie.

A man, maybe in his twenties or thirties stands behind them, arms raised over his head, one hand gripping a handgun, and looking somewhat scared. He has chin length blonde hair, which looks relatively clean given the situation, and is wearing some cut-off shorts and a plain clean looking t-shirt. "Please don't shoot," He says softly, "Please."

The brothers share a glance - and though Cooper wants to say something along the lines of _give me one good reason not to _- they silently decide that he doesn't seem like much of a threat. That, and the fact that they haven't encountered another living person since they left their friends causes them to lower their weapons. The man visibly relaxes, his hands dropping to his sides, and he actually _smiles _at them. "Man, it's good to see some _living _people out here instead of those _walkers_."

The brothers are silent for a moment before Cooper speaks up, "Yeah. It is." He studies the man for a moment before continuing, "Are you alone?"

The man smiles, "Nah. My friend and I… We were actually doing the same thing as you two. Looking for gas."

"_Your friend_?" Cooper asks, his guard still up, "And where is he?"

"In a truck up the road a bit," He says, still smiling, "He uh… he's a little _shoot first, ask questions later_, if you know what I mean. That's why I was following you guys. Didn't want you to find our car and have him freak out on you."

Cooper grunts and nods his head in response, unsure of what comes next. They haven't much human interaction for almost a month now, not to mention they haven't met _any _new people since everything started. He doesn't have to worry about that for long, though, because the man speaks up again, "Are you guys staying anywhere around here?"

Cooper and Blaine share a glance, both silently asking eachother if they should be honest with the man, and Blaine speaks up first, having decided. "Our car ran out of gas down at the next exit. We were just looking for some so we don't have to stay down there tonight…"

The man's eyes seem to light up and he smiles slightly at the boys, "Well we can definitely fix that. Follow me."

Once again, the brothers glance at eachother before deciding that maybe the stranger is their best bet and following him. It isn't a long walk - only another five minutes - before they reach a silver pickup truck, parked on the side of the road. They wouldn't think anything of it, if it weren't for the arm hanging out of the drivers side window, cigarette stuck between a pointer and middle finger. Before they reach the truck, though, the man inside seems to see them out of his mirror because the cigarette is dropping to the ground and the door is opening.

He's a relatively big man - well built - with shaggy dark hair and a bit of scruff on his chin. He looks like he used to play football or something in a past life, but not now. He doesn't look too old, maybe in his mid twenties, but his _eyes_. His eyes look like they've seen more than most people in their fifties have. His eyes and the dark circles under them are the first thing that Cooper notices. The second is his rough voice. "Tim," He says gruffly, putting out his forgotten cigarette with his boot, "Who are your friends?"

The smaller man smiles for a moment, then turns to Cooper and Blaine, "I actually didn't get their names…"

"Cooper," The older Anderson says, stepping forward with his arm outstretched. The first man, _Tim_, shakes it, then the bigger man does. "And this is my-" Cooper clears his throat, "This is Blaine."

For a reason unknown to Cooper, he doesn't introduce Blaine as his brother. Maybe it's because they're not really _brothers_ anymore, or maybe it's because he doesn't want people to _know _anymore. Whatever the reason, he holds his tongue, and Blaine doesn't seem to mind as he shakes their hands as well.

"Names Mike," The man with the dark eyes finally speaks up, "You guys staying anywhere around here?"

"Actually," Tim speaks up, "Their car broke down. I was wondering if we could give them a hand… Maybe take them back up to town…"

Mike narrows his eyes at Tim for a moment, as if he's upset that he mentioned _town_ in front of them, then he turns his eyes to Cooper and Blaine, studying them. The brothers stand there awkwardly under his gaze, and don't know if they're relived of confused when after a moment he nods his head and turns to Tim again. "There's a gas can in the back. Go fill them up and meet me back up here. You can ride with them to town." He ends his order with a look at Tim that says something along the lines of _make sure they're not crazy_ and then hops back in the truck without another word.

"Sorry about him," Tim says softly as they walk back down the road a couple of minutes later, gas cans in hand, "He's a little testy sometimes."

"Don't worry about it," Cooper replies, "I would be too if I were him. He seems like he's seen a lot."

Tim nods in return, "He has. I know it's pretty stressful on him - all of us look to him to be our leader. He just got thrown into it and he's only twenty five."

"_All of us_?" Cooper questions, wondering just how many people are back in this _town_.

Tim smiles, "You'll see. Our setup is actually pretty nice…"

At that, the rest of the walk to the car is quiet - the brothers trying to figure out what exactly they're getting themselves into and Tim trying to judge their personalities. Blaine grips Cooper's hand though, when the other man isn't looking, and sends him a reassuring look as if to say, _we made the right move_.

And Cooper really hopes they did.

It isn't long before the car is up and running again and Tim is sitting in the back seat as they make their way back up to the highway to Mike's truck. When he sees them coming, he starts it and peels off, Cooper trailing close behind. "So… how far away is this _town_?" He asks, trying to start a conversation in the quiet car.

"About forty-five minutes," Tim replies, smiling. It's quiet again before he speaks up, "Where are you two from?"

The brothers share a glance and Cooper answers, "Ohio."

"_Ohio_?" Tim echos, "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Cooper sighs, "Our uh… _My_ parents were in Aspen when everything started, and we really didn't have anywhere else to go, so we decided to head out here." He avoids mentioning that they're related again, earning a glance from Blaine, but ignores it.

Tim is silent at that, and Cooper knows it's because Aspen is probably overrun, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he clears his throat and changes the subject again, "So how did you two get stuck together? I mean, you said _your _parents are out here, but what about you, Blaine? It's Blaine, right?"

The younger Anderson glances at Cooper for a moment, weighing out his options before reaching across the center console and lacing their fingers together so Tim can see. "I was at Coop's house when everything went down… I didn't want to risk leaving him alone… You know?" It's a shitty lie, but Tim seems to buy it and smiles at the younger boy.

"You two are lucky."

"Why do you say that?" Blaine asks, taking over the conversation for Cooper as he drives.

"It's rare that anyone finds love in this huge mess, ya know?" He's still smiling, "I know a lot of people who would kill to have a partner in all of this."

Blaine squeezes Cooper's hand at Tim's words.

Within twenty minutes, the boys are following Mike through _Carbondale_, a small mountain town situated in a big green valley. Blaine's face is practically smashed up against the window as they drive by, admiring the beautiful scenery. It isn't long, though, before they're leaving Carbondale and heading into yet another canyon. There's a gorgeous peak to their left and a thick forest to their right as they drive next to the river. And it's another twenty minutes before they're turning left off of the road into what looks like a small town. Cooper glances at the sign as they pull in, and learns that the town is called _Redstone._

And what they see next surprises both boys.

There are people, some women and men and their kids, some teenagers, outside. They're not milling around and groaning like the dead that Cooper and Blaine are used to do - they're living, breathing people, sitting in their front lawns and watching as the two cars make their way down the main road. The town is small - Cooper guesses the population couldn't have been more than two-hundred before the outbreak - but it's strong. "Mike helped put this place together when the world went to shit," Tim finally speaks up, as they keep driving slowly by. "His parents used to live here, and when he came here to find them, they were gone. The town wasn't overrun, though, so he gathered up some people and they rebuilt. They set up a system. A few people keep watching throughout the day and night, making sure we're safe."

"Its… _incredible_," Blaine breaths, "How many people are here?"

"Last we counted, twenty-nine," Tim says, proud, "Thirty-one with you two now."

"_Wow_," Blaine says, still amazed as he stares at the seemingly untouched town.

"It's nice," Tim agrees, "From the road, you can't really see much, thanks to the river and all of the trees, but from our post, we can see anyone coming or going. It makes it really easy to keep everyone safe if any of those walkers come through." It's silent in the car, and Tim takes it as his cue to continue, "We'll find you a place to stay for the night and get you all settled in in the morning."

"Sounds good to me," Cooper finally speaks up, smiling.

"There's a couple of houses here that are run off of solar power, so I'm sure you two can get a shower in tomorrow, too, if you want," He continues.

"A _shower_?" Blaine asks, excited, "I'm definitely okay with that."

Once they reach the end of the road, Mike hops out of his truck and walks over to Cooper's side of the car, then leans down on the open window. "You two can stay down here in the house next to my place for the night," He says, voice rough, "If you like it, you're welcome to stay, if not, we'll need you out by tomorrow, sound good?"

Cooper glances at Blaine, who looks visibly nervous at the sight of Mike, but he just grips his hand tighter, "Sounds good."

"Tim, get them settled in," Mike orders, then walks away without another word.

Within fifteen minutes, Tim is helping Cooper and Blaine load their things into the small house. "I know he's a little intimidating at first," He says, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen between them, "But he means well."

"I'm sure he does," Cooper replies, though he's still weary of the new people.

"He's done some questionable shit since building up this place," Tim continues, "But he's always had a reason, and he never leads us astray, ya know? Just… give him some time, and I'm sure he'll warm up to you two."

"Will do," Cooper says shortly, and at that, Tim seems to take the hint.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it. If you need anything, I'm two houses down on the left," He says, smiling, "See you in the morning."

And at that, Cooper and Blaine are finally alone again.

"I thought he'd _never_ leave," Blaine murmurs, leaning up to press a kiss on Cooper's lips.

"You know… You didn't have to wait till he left to do that," Cooper muses, smiling against Blaine's lips, "He doesn't know…"

"Nice move with that, by the way," Blaine teases, "You're lucky we don't look too much alike."

Cooper chuckles, "I know. I figured it was for the best not to tell them."

"It definitely was," Blaine agrees, kissing him again.

They finish getting their things moved in and within another thirty minutes, the boys find themselves laying in a queen bed, bodies intertwined. Blaine's head is laying on Cooper's chest, and he lets out a deep sigh before speaking softly, "It's nice."

"What's nice?" Cooper asks quietly, fingers stroking Blaine's hair.

"Feeling safe," He replies simply, "It's nice to know that there's people keeping watch right now. _We_ don't have to worry."

"It is," Cooper agrees, though there _is _a pit in his stomach when he thinks about Mike. He feels like there's something off about him, but he hopes it's nothing. "I just hope we made the right choice coming here…"

"I'm sure we did," Blaine assures, "Mike _does_ seem a little rough, but you would be too, if you were in his position…"

"Yeah, I guess so," Cooper agrees, sighing.

"I love you, Coop," Blaine returns, leaning up to kiss him reassuringly.

"Love you too," He replies softly, "Goodnight Blaine."

Cooper is still awake, though, even as Blaine's breathing slows and evens out when he falls asleep. Though he knows they _are_ safe, he's still a little uneasy about Mike. And Tim's words - _he's done some questionable shit - _are still ringing in his head as he stares up at the dark ceiling.

* * *

_AN:  
I apologize for all of the Colorado references. I lived in that area for a few months and absolutely LOVED it, and I've been DYING to incorporate it into one of my fics. I figured this was my best chance :]_


	3. As Our Train Car Derails

**As Our Train Car Derails**

* * *

_"As our train car derails and rolls into the ocean_  
_I'll be honest I wouldn't miss a thing about these_  
_cold-hearted towns and the distance between _  
_everyone here and everything._

_As the world flies by outside of my window_  
_I'll be honest I wouldn't miss a thing._  
_When compassion is dead we'll drown ourselves _  
_in a sea of paper that glitters like gold._

_Some say that hate that it speaks in whispers_  
_but I can hear their curdling screams."_

_-"Outbound" - Transit_

* * *

**AN: **This is where this and "We'll Be Heroes Or Ghosts" (my zombie!faberry au) come together. Read the other if you want some background on Rachel and Quinn :]

* * *

Within three days, Cooper and Blaine feel more at home than they ever thought they would.

The boys are awoken on the morning of their first day at redstone by Tim knocking on their front door-

(which they both find odd because it's so civilized)

-and telling them that if they want to take a shower, Mrs. Shields, the nice woman a few houses down has a working shower. After getting dressed and eating something quickly from the bags of food they still have, they follow his directions and find themselves standing in front of a cute little yellow house. They share a look, wondering if they should knock, and Cooper can't help but feel awkward as he lifts his hand and knocks softly on her front door. Within a minute, a nice looking woman with short graying hair - she looks like she's in her sixties - opens the door, smile plastered on her face.

"You must be the adorable couple that Tim was telling me about!" She practically squeals with delight, "Cooper and Blaine, right?"

The brothers both smile before Cooper nods, "That's us."

"Well please, come in," She says, still smiling, "I was just making breakfast for my granddaughter and myself if you'd care to join"

Cooper initially protests, saying something along the lines of we don't want to intrude, but she insists and even though they've already eaten, they can't turn down home cooked meal. They haven't had one in weeks. The brothers then take their showers, which feels odd to both of them because they had long since said goodbye to running water, and leave the kind woman's house with their fingers laced and smiles on their faces.

By the second day, Cooper finds himself with Tim and a couple of other men, getting ready to go hunting after Blaine reveals that his boyfriend is an incredible shoot. Blaine, on the other hand, finds company with a couple of girls his age, who show him around town while Cooper is gone.

By the third day, the brothers seem to fall into a routine with their new found community, and though they both know that they need to head to Aspen eventually, they can't help but want to stay for a while. By the third day, the brothers feel like home.

Sometimes, Cooper feels like it's too good to be true.

He can't help but feel out of place when he and Blaine walk down the main street together, hand in hand, as the people sitting on their front porches wave to them. He knows that this is their place to find a new start, but sometimes he finds himself wondering how half of the people would react if they became overrun. Would they fight back? Or would they run inside and hide in their new found homes?

And though they've been a part of Redstone for almost a week now, Mike is still a little fishy to him. He knows - and Blaine constantly reminds him - that Mike is only a little rough around the edges because he has the responsibility of the whole town on his shoulders, but Cooper still can't help but feel a little uneasy around him. He pushes those feelings down, though, because Blaine is happy.

Blaine is happy because he can finally act like himself - he can talk to people his own age and hang out and not have to worry about an attack, and more importantly, he can walk down the main street with Cooper, hand in hand, and nobody even bats an eyelash. It's everything he's wanted since the wold went to hell.

One night - their seventh night in Redstone, if Cooper remembers correctly - Tim decides to have a bonfire just outside of town, for everyone to get to know eachother and let loose a bit. One group found some alcohol on one of their trips to gather supplies, so half of the town sits around the fire, beer in their hands and smiles on their faces as everyone talks in hushed voices. Surprisingly, Mike sits at the fire as well, to the left of Tim, surveying the people around him. When his eyes lock with Cooper's, they narrow slightly, and Cooper shakes his head and turns away, trying to ignore it.

"How did you and Blaine end up out here, Cooper?" The nice woman, Mrs. Shields asks from across the fire at one point, snapping Cooper out of his thoughts.

The older Anderson glances at Blaine for a moment before smiling warmly at her, "My uh… my parents were in Aspen when everything happened, and the two of us didn't really have anywhere else to go."

"Oh honey…" She says softly, "I'm so sorry…"

Cooper cocks his head to the side as if to silently ask why she's apologizing, but she doesn't get the chance to explain herself because then Mike is speaking up for the first time that night, voice hard. "You _do_ realize that Aspen is overrun, right?"

Cooper feels a flare of anger at the way the Mike talks down to him and though he wants to yell at him for being rude, he just grits his teeth and mutters out, "No. Obviously we _didn't _know that. We haven't been there yet."

Mike chuckles, _he actually fucking chuckles_, before replying, "It's a lost cause."

Cooper immediately stands, unable to control himself. "Don't you _dare_ try to tell me that our parents-" He's cut off, though, by Blaine grabbing his hand to silence him. And then he realizes that he said _our_ parents, and he really hopes that nobody noticed it. When he glances around the fire and just sees apologetic, sad faces, he ducks his head. "I should probably get to bed. I'm sorry about that."

Cooper manages to say goodnight to the group around the fire and stands a few minutes later, Blaine close behind him, and makes his way back to their new found home. When he tries to turn and go inside, though, Blaine grabs his hand and drags him further down the street, past Mike's house and toward where their car is parked. It isn't until they're almost in the woods that Blaine stops walking and turns to face Cooper. "What are we _doing_, B?" The older brother asks, frustrated.

"We need to talk," Blaine explains simply.

"And we couldn't talk inside?" Cooper asks, smiling slightly.

"No," Blaine smiles back a little, "Because you'd just try to ignore it and go to bed if we went inside."

Cooper just shrugs because he knows Blaine is right, "Alright. What do you want to talk about?"

At that, Blaine sighs and looks down, nervously kicking the dirt, "Coop… I just… I was thinking that maybe we should consider staying here… You know, for good."

"What?" Cooper breaths, "But what about mom and dad?"

"You heard what Mike said," Blaine says sadly, "Even though he's kind of a dick, he's right. Aspen is probably overrun. I've head that from a couple of people around here… Hell, that girl Kayla I was hanging out with the other day is _from_ Aspen, and she said it didn't look too good…"

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Cooper whispers back, his heart sinking.

Blaine sighs, "Because I didn't want to upset you… But…"

"But now I'm already upset, so it's okay?" Cooper finishes, fuming. "_We came out here for mom and dad, Blaine_."

"I know we did," Blaine counters, "But did you ever think that this might be as good as it's going to get? I mean, what are the chances that they're even alive?" Blaine's question hits him hard, but before he can argue, the younger boy continues, "This place is great, Coop. There's a lot of people here, and they're all working together to keep it safe… And all they see us as is boyfriends, Cooper. _Boyfriends. _Not brothers. Isn't that what you want? Cause it's sure as hell what I want…"

"I…" Cooper starts, his heart practically breaking for his little brother. "_Of course_, it's what I want, Blaine. You know that."

"We can start over here, Coop," Blaine says softly, taking a step forward, "Not as brothers, but as boyfriends. Nobody will care here…" He leans forward to kiss Cooper softly, but as he does, he's interrupted by someone speaking from behind them.

"_Brothers_, huh?"

Both boys' head spin around in time to see Mike, of all people, walking into view, a smirk spread across his face. They're both silent as he walks up to them and speaks again, "I knew there was something off about you two, but _this? _Man, this is just fucked up."

And when neither boy knows what to say in response - when they're frozen on the spot, hearts pounding - Mike continues, "You know, I thought it was hard to let a couple of fucking _faggots _into _my _home, but _brothers_? Jesus."

"I-" Cooper starts, but Mike cuts him off.

"You must be really fucked up, Cooper. The world is _ending_ and all you can think about is trying to fuck your brother? Poor kid is probably so screwed in the head thanks to you, that he just goes with it," He spits, smirking at him.

And without warning, Blaine takes two long strides forward before delivering a blow straight to Mike's jaw, then kneeing him in the stomach and dropping him to the ground, muttering, "Don't fucking talk about my brother that way," through his teeth. Though the man is much bigger than him, Blaine does it with ease, and Cooper can't help but think that the kickboxing he started up after his accident has finally paid off. The thought is short lived, though, when Mike immediately leaps to his feet and lunges forward, grabbing ahold of Blaine and pulling his gun out of the waistband of his jeans and pressing the barrel flush to Blaine's temple.

The action happens within a matter of seconds and by the time Mike is backing up slowly with Blaine in his grip, Cooper's gun is already out and pointing at the larger man, "Let him go," He manages to growl out.

Mike laughs darkly, "Why? So you can keep fucking your brother on _my _property? No. Maybe I should just kill the both of you so nobody else has to deal with your shit."

"If you hurt him, I swear to God, you'll be dead before you hit the ground," Cooper mutters, holding his gun steady.

"Careful," Mike says, smirking, "Try anything, and I'll blow your baby brother's brains out."

"You wouldn't," Cooper hisses back.

"You wanna bet?" Mike replies, still smirking. He cocks the gun, "How else do you think I keep these people safe? You two are _weak_. You're not helping my community at all. Why the _fuck_ would I keep you two sick fucks around?"

"Then don't," Cooper practically whimpers, "Let us go, and I _swear_ we'll never bother you again."

"Why in the world would I do that?" Mike asks, "When I could rid the world of you two myself…"

"Please…" Cooper begs, and he can feel tears forming in his eyes at the terrified look on Blaine's face. Blaine, his baby brother, who hasn't said anything. Blaine, who he's supposed to look after and keep safe. "_Please._"

Mike's gaze softens for a split second as he stares at Cooper, and then to his and Blaine's surprise, he lets go. He pulls the gun away from Blaine's head, and he just lets go. Blaine falls as he does, and scrambles to his feet before sprinting toward Cooper, tears now steaming down his face.

It isn't until Blaine is about a yard away from Cooper, that a single gunshot rings out in the cool air.

Blaine drops to the ground immediately, and without a second thought, Cooper raises his weapon again, staring at Mike for a split second with dark eyes. Then he pulls the trigger. The larger man falls to the ground as well, bullet piercing straight through his chest, and when Cooper decides that it's safe, he drops to his knees in front of Blaine.

"Blaine," He sobs, reaching forward, "Please be okay…"

His shirt, just around his shoulder blade is already soaked in blood, and Cooper fears the worst when he reaches forward to flip Blaine over. He's not sure if he's more relieved or worried, though, when Blaine starts coughing when he turns his body. His eyes are shut tight in pain, but they open when he hears Cooper voice softly asking _Blaine?_

"C-Coop," He manages to cough out, staring up at him.

"I'm going to get you out of here, B," Cooper says softly. He then grabs Blaine under his armpits, though the younger boy winces at it, and lifts him to his feet. When Blaine can't stand on his own, Cooper pulls one of his arms over his own shoulder and carries him toward their unlocked car and pulls him into the passenger seat. "I'll be right back, okay?" He asks quietly, "I need to get some things."

Blaine just nods quickly in response, still conscious, and at that, Cooper slams the door and begins sprinting toward their house. He can hear the commotion from the people at the fire, making their way toward the sound of the gunshot, and he can only hope that he has enough time to grab their clothes and first aid bag before they find Mike. He runs through the dark house toward the bedroom, and is suddenly thankful that he and Blaine never unpacked. All of their clothes are still in their duffel bags and he zips them up and throws them over his shoulder before running toward the kitchen to grab the bag with all of their bandages medication in it.

When he glances out the window, ready to leave, he sees Tim and a couple of other people walking quickly past the house and knows that he doesn't have much time before they find Mike. When the coast is clear, he exits through the back door of the house, forgetting food because he doesn't have near enough time to look for it, and sneaks toward the car.

Thankfully, everyone is out in the woods, looking for the source of the gunshot when Cooper makes it back to Blaine, and when he's sure that they have everything they need, he starts the car and peels off down the main street. Everyone is either in their houses hiding, or looking for who made the noise, save for Mrs. Shields, the nice old woman, and her and Cooper lock eyes as he drives past her, standing on the side of the road.

Cooper turns left, opposite of the way they came to Redstone the first time and _hopes_ that they don't run into any trouble before they find somewhere safe. He's been this way once, hunting with Tim and a couple of other people, and they didn't run into any zombies, so he hopes for Blaine's sake that it's safe. He takes a left onto some deserted looking dirt road and speeds down it, hoping that they can find a house or _something _at the end of it because Blaine needs medical help. Now.

_Blaine._

He turns to look at his brother in the passenger seat, who is gripping his shoulder, eyes shut tight in pain.

"You're going to be okay, B," He says softly, "I've got you."

Blaine just nods quickly, "L-love you."

At that, the tears that Cooper had been holding back since Mike held the hun to Blaine's head spill out, down his cheeks. "I love you too, B."

It isn't until they've been driving down the dirt road for almost ten minutes that Cooper glances down at his gas gauge and curses under his breath. The _empty_ light is on, and he's not sure how long it has been, but one word comes to mind. _Mike_. He must have siphoned the gas out once they got to town that first night. Cooper knows he had almost half of a tank when they got there, and he hadn't used his car since.

If he could, he'd shoot Mike again for that.

Another five minutes of driving, and the car begins to slow to a stop.

"No," Cooper breaths out, "No, no, no, no, no!" He slams his hands on the steering wheel as they come to a complete stop on the side of the road.

"E-everything okay?" Blaine coughs, looking over at Cooper.

"Yeah," He lies, tears welling in his eyes again, "Everything's okay, Blaine." He takes a shaky breath, his heart sinking, "I need to get you out of the car, okay?"

Thankfully, the headlights are still on when Cooper gets out of the car, and he decides that if they get up on the side of the hill, he'll be able to see alright, and hopefully patch Blaine up. _Hopefully._ He walks around the other side of the car to Blaine, opens his door, and carefully pulls him out and lifts him up, thankful that he's relatively small. He carries Blaine up the hill without much trouble and lays him down on the grass. It isn't until he sees Blaine in the light that he realizes that the front of his shirt is bloody, too.

_The bullet went all the way through_?

He's not sure if he's relieved or not at the thought, because even though it's a bad wound, it means there shouldn't be any fragments left inside of him. He doesn't have much time to think about it, though, because suddenly, Blaine is coughing and gripping tight onto the front of his hoodie.

"I'm going to go get bandages," Cooper tries to explain, going to stand, but Blaine stops him.

"Please, J-just stay here," He requests hoarsely, causing Cooper's heart to drop to his stomach.

_No. Blaine can't die. Not now. Not like this._

"Please?" Blaine asks again, opening his eyes to stare up at Cooper.

The older boy swallows the lump in his throat, "Yeah. Okay."

Their moment is interrupted, though, when Cooper hears the sound of a car coming down the dirt road. And then he turns to see the headlights.

_Fuck_.

He can only hope that it's not someone from Redstone coming to kill the both of them when the car comes to a stop on the side of the road.

When he sees two girls getting out of their car, though - two girls that he doesn't recognize - he decides that they can't be too much of a threat, and immediately starts running down the hill, whispering, "I'll be right back," to Blaine before he does so. He hurries down the hill, arms raised to show the girls that he's not a threat, and can only hope that they can help.

When he gets closer, he can make them out a little better. Neither girl can be more than eighteen. One is a brunette with long hair, and soft, caring eyes. She studies Cooper with a worried expression on her face, and he immediately likes her. The other girl has short, chin length blonde hair. Her eyes are a little more hard, _piercing, _and she looks hardened. Like she's the leader of the duo. When she sees the blood on Cooper's clothes and hands from Blaine, she immediately raises her gun, eyes dark. "You're not bit, are you?" She asks, voice hard.

Cooper's hands are still in the air, and he hopes that she understands that he's not trying to hurt her before he speaks, "N-no. Please, I need your help."

"What is it?" The brunette speaks up, eyes still soft on Cooper.

"My brother," He _whimpers_, breaking down slightly. The lump in his throat returns as he speaks, "He – he…"

"Has _he_ been bit?" The blonde asks, eyes traveling over his bloody body again.

"No," Cooper replies, gulping, "_Shot_. Please. You have to help us. I'm _begging _you. I… I can't lose him… _Please_." His voice cracks at the last _please_ and he looks down, tears escaping from behind his closed lids again.

It's silent for a long moment and Cooper doesn't dare look up, fearing that they might actually leave him there. "Alright," A soft voice finally breaks the silence, and his head snaps up. The blonde smiles sadly at him, and he takes it as his cue.

"_Thank you_," Cooper breaths, voice cracking, before running back up the hill, tripping over himself as he does so. The girls follow close behind, and they're right there behind him when he picks his limp brother off the ground and mutters, "_Hang on, Blaine._"


	4. If We Make It Through The Night

_**We May Make It Through The War If We Make It Through The Night**_

* * *

___"All the soldiers say _  
_'It'll be alright,_  
_we may make it through the war _  
_if we make it through the night.'_  
_All the people, they say:_  
_'What a lovely day, yeah, we won the war._  
_May have lost a million men, but we've got a million more.'_  
_All the people, they say."_

-Portugal. The Man

* * *

"Do you want to follow us, or…?" The blonde asks as Cooper turns around, Blaine in his arms, and his heart sinks at her words.

"I ran out of gas," He admits, looking down.

"Ride with us," The brunette chimes in, smiling sadly at him, "Is there anything you need from your car?"

"There's two duffel bags," Cooper says, walking down the hill with them close behind, "And a bag with medical equipment in it, in the back seat. And my gun should be sitting on the center console."

"Got it," The brunette says softly, before running down the hill and toward Cooper's car. Meanwhile, he makes his way down the hill with the other girl, Blaine in his arms. She silently opens the back door or her car for him when they reach it, and he lays Blaine in the back seat before getting in behind him, allowing his head to rest on his lap.

The other girl returns after a moment with their things and throws them in the trunk, the keys to Cooper's car in her hands, then approaches the Blonde, who is still standing in the road. Cooper feels bad for eavesdropping, but he can hear bits of their conversation from the back seat, where the window is rolled down.

"You okay?" The brunette asks, hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"I will be," She replies softly, "I just hope they're not dangerous."

"They're not," The other girl assures, "Just look at them. They _need_ us, Q."

The blonde nods, "I guess. I just hope we're not making a mistake by taking them home with us."

"We're not," She says, smiling a little, "I promise."

"You better be right, Rachel," The blonde says, voice hard, and at that, they make their way back to the car.

The car peels off seconds after the two girls climb inside, and they continue their conversation as if Cooper isn't in the back seat with Blaine, hearing everything as they speed down the dark road. "_Our_ house?" The girl with the dark hair, whose name Cooper assumes is _Rachel_ asks, turning to the blonde.

"Well we don't really have another choice, do we?" The blonde shoots back a little harshly. At that, the car is silent again save for Blaine's ragged breathing, until she speaks up again, voice softer. "Hey… Uhm, I don't think we even got your name…"

"Cooper," He replies softly, his eyes leaving Blaine for a moment to meet hers in the rear-view mirror, "I'm Cooper, and this is Blaine."

"Quinn," The blonde girl replies, "And this is my girlfriend, Rachel."

Cooper envies the fact that Quinn introduces her as her _girlfriend_ for a split second, but immediately pushes the thought away because _that's what got you into this situation._

"If you don't mind me asking, Cooper…" Quinn breaks the silence again, "We're not going to have anybody after us, will we?"

He lets his mind wander for a moment to Tim and the rest of the town. There's no doubt in his mind that they've found Mike by now, and he's sure that they're looking for them, but he hopes that they decide not to go too far in the dark. Thankfully, they must have passed Redstone on a back road, because they're almost out of the canyon, and he lets himself hope that they've gone unnoticed. "I think we're okay," He manages out, "If they're looking for us, my car will throw them off… For a little while at least."

Rachel and Quinn share an uneasy glance at one another and Cooper _knows_ that they're both worried – worried that they're being followed and more importantly, worried that he's dangerous. Instead of trying to assure them that everything is okay – because he's sure that will just freak them out more – he keeps his mouth shut and goes back to stroking Blaine's hair.

"Here," Rachel says softly, turning in her seat. She's holding a rag (or part of a shirt) out to Cooper, "I'm not a doctor or anything, but you should put pressure on the wound. Stop the bleeding and all."

Cooper nods in response and does as she says, his heart breaking when his unconscious brother winces at the contact. "Thank you."

"Of course."

As they drive, Cooper recognizes the town that they enter as Carbondale, and wonders where exactly the two girls live, and _hopes_ that it's somewhat out of sight. Thankfully, they turn left and make their way up a long dirt road not long into the drive, and are soon concealed by pine trees and curvy mountain roads. They're pulling up to the large house within five minutes, and when they stop the car, Rachel immediately opens Cooper's door for him to help get Blaine out.

The younger boy groans as they lift him, but his eyes remain shut, and Cooper can only hope that he gets to see them open soon. Once in the kitchen, Quinn makes her way over to a lamp, which she turns on, smiling at Cooper's baffled look, then heads to the table and removes everything from the top of it and signals for them to place the smaller boy in its place. She then sprints back out to the car wordlessly and returns with Cooper's bag full of medical gear.

"Are you sure you can do this?" She asks Rachel in a hushed voice as she passes her, and Cooper realizes that he must have missed a very important part of their conversation outside of the car earlier: the part where they decided that Rachel was going to fix Blaine.

"Woah, wait," Cooper stutters, standing, "I can help."

The girls glance at eachother wordlessly, then Quinn makes her way across the room to place her hand on his shoulder, "With all due respect, you're really freaked out, Cooper. I mean, none of us really know what we're doing here, but Rachel has a little bit of an idea, and I doubt you want to accidentally hurt him while you're trying to help because you're upset."

"_With all due respect_," Cooper shoots back, "That's my fucking _brother_ on that table. I promised him that I'd keep him safe, and that's exactly what I intend on doing."

"Then keep him safe by letting _Rachel_ work on him," Quinn snaps.

"I worked at a vet's office for a couple of summers, if that makes you feel better," Rachel pipes up, voice soft, "Trust me. _Please_."

And at that, Cooper sighs and nods, the tears welling in his eyes again. He quickly helps Quinn and Rachel remove Blaine's shirt and almost has to look away at the bloody mess in front of him. Quinn stares for a moment though, and that's when Rachel takes charge, telling them to grab certain things for her – and to be fast.

It isn't until the wound is clean and Rachel mentions something about stitching him up that Cooper finally feels comfortable leaving the room. While she gets to work stitching him, Quinn takes the opportunity to take him out onto the deck and have a talk with him.

"Is this the part where you make sure that I'm not going to kill you?" Cooper asks, turning to look numbly at her once they're both leaning on the railing of the deck.

She laughs a little, "Yeah, basically."

It silent between the two as they stare out at the dark sky, and Cooper understands quickly why the two girls were wary about bringing them here. It's beautiful. He can tell, even in the dark. And it's their sanctuary.

"So… You're not… Are you?" She asks, a little hesitantly.

Cooper laughs, "No. No I won't."

She laughs nervously back, "Okay. Good." And it's quiet again until her curiosity is killing her and she speaks up again. "What happened, exactly?"

And Cooper's heart sinks because he knows he's going to have to decide between telling the truth or not again. On one hand, he can keep it from her, and have a safe place to stay for a while before the truth actually comes out, _or_ he can tell her the truth, and risk getting thrown out now. At least Blaine is stitched up now – he's doing better. Cooper finds himself planning out in his head where they'd go if and when they do get kicked out.

"Stop that," She says, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Stop what?" Cooper echoes, looking up at her.

"Trying to decide whether or not to tell me the truth," Quinn replies, smirking a little at the look on his face when she says it, "Trust me, I'm more likely to kick you out if you lie to me."

Cooper laughs nervously, "Right."

"So…" She pushes again, "What happened?"

Cooper sighs, running his hand through his hair. "Blaine and I were staying in some small town a few hours away, and it got overrun, so we had to leave. Because we left on such short notice, we didn't have much gas and ran out halfway through Glenwood Canyon. _Thankfully_," he says the word sarcastically, "This man found us and offered to take us back to some town he was staying at. We didn't really have any other options, so we left with him."

Cooper pauses for a second, trying to figure out a way to word the rest of the story without giving too much about him and Blaine away. "There were a good thirty people still living in the town. It was incredible. But their leader, this guy Mike, was always really fishy, right from the beginning… He ended up overhearing a discussion between Blaine and I about leaving tonight, and wasn't too happy with what he heard, so he flipped out. He shot him."

It silent for a moment as Quinn takes everything in before she speaks, "Where is this town exactly?"

"Close to where you found us," He answers, "It's called Redstone."

"We drove right by there today," Quinn whispers, "You don't think they saw us, do you?"

Cooper shrugs, "I didn't hear anything."

She nods in response, glad, then turns to him again, "So what were you two _really_ arguing about?"

"What?" Cooper asks, hushed.

"You know _what_," Quinn replies smirking a little, "I'm not stupid. I know someone – no matter how crazy they are – isnt' going to go around shooting people just because they want to leave."

"You caught me," Cooper says nervously, laughing a little.

"So what's the truth?" Quinn asks again, turning to look over her shoulder at Rachel and Blaine in the kitchen.

Cooper follows her gaze and lets his linger on his baby brother – his lover – on the table. He feels his heart breaking for Blaine, and feels the adrenaline pumping through his body at the thought of telling Quinn the truth. He's never said it out loud before – only to Blaine – and the thought actually kind of terrifies him. But then he looks at Quinn again and feels a little safer.

_She's kind. She's like you. She's just trying to help. Even if she doesn't understand, she'll respect you for telling the truth, and she'll accept it._

"_Blaine…_" Cooper breathes, staring inside again, "Blaine means more to me than _anything _in this world. I'd be lost – _hell_, I'd probably be _dead_ – without him. I just…" His voice cracks and he trails off.

"You love him," Quinn breaths.

"How did you-"

"I'm good at reading people," She cuts him off, "I could tell from the second we saw you."

Cooper laughs and shakes his head, "And you don't think it's…"

"Fucked up?" She supplies, "No. It's the end of the world, Cooper. If you've managed to find love in all of this shit, I don't care." She glances at Rachel as she says it and Cooper smiles in her direction.

"Like you and Rachel?"

She smiles, "Like me and Rachel." Cooper smiles to himself and stares back out at the night sky, whishing that they had found Rachel and Quinn sooner. "Did you kill him?" She asks, breaking the silence again, though, and pulling him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"The guy who shot Blaine," Quinn continues, "Did you kill him?"

Cooper knows that this is probably the deciding moment – that if he answers this question right, they'll get to stay, and if he answers it wrong, they'll be out. So he decides to answer it honestly, "Yes."

Quinn is quiet for a moment, staring forward again. "I would have done the same thing," She finally says, turning to look at Cooper again, "If someone did that to Rach, I would have done the same thing. In a heartbeat."

Cooper nods, "I just… _God,_ I should have done it sooner. I swear, if he doesn't make it… I don't-" His voice catches in his throat and he doesn't finish his sentence, but Quinn understands.

"He'll make it," She assures, "I promise. We'll do everything to make sure he does."

"Thank you," Cooper breaths, smiling through his teary eyes.

As if on cue, the sliding glass door opens and Rachel emerges from the house, wiping her hands on a rag. She smiles when Cooper and Quinn look expectantly in her direction. "He's doing okay," She assures, "Just asleep. He lost quite a bit of blood, but I'm thinking he should be up by morning."

Cooper can only nod in response, then swallows the lump in his throat before asking, "Can I see him?"

Rachel and Quinn share a glance, and when the blonde nods in her direction, telling her that everything is okay, Rachel smiles, "Of course. We're going to need you to carry him to the guest bedroom anyway."

Cooper is inside the house in a flash, his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of seeing Blaine, even though it's only been thirty minutes since he went outside with Quinn. The girls trail in close behind him, hands clasped, and watch as he nears his brother, holding his tears back. He reaches forward and brushes Blaine's hand with his own as he leans down to examine him, before turning and smiling at Rachel. "_Thank you_," He breaths, tears forming, "Really. Thank you."

"Of course," She replies, smiling back.

Cooper gently carries Blaine into the bedroom a few minutes later, and though Quinn and Rachel offer him a bed to sleep in himself, he gets comfy in a chair next to Blaine's bed, insisting that he'll be fine. He can hear when the girls head off to bed together a few minutes later, and he can't help but listen to their hushed conversation on the other side of the wall. _"You mean theyre..." _Rachel whispers loudly at one point, which initially catches Cooper's attention.

"_They are_," Quinn whispers back, quieter, "_But who are we to judge them? They're happy. And they seem like good people. Or at least Cooper does._"

At that, Cooper stops listening and turns his attention back to Blaine. He reaches forward to grab his hand and tries - for the millionth time that night - to hold his tears back. Tries to be strong for his little brother.

* * *

"So where are you guys heading to?" Quinn asks over breakfast the next morning. Cooper doesn't get much sleep, but he doesn't turn down the food when the girls knock on his door and offer it in the morning, quickly realizing how hungry he is. Quinn insists that Blaine will be fine alone for a little bit and the three of them find themselves sitting at the kitchen table, eating cereal a few minutes later.

"Aspen," Cooper answers between spoonfuls, "Our parents were there... When everything happened."

"And where were you guys?" Rachel chimes in, curious.

"Ohio," He replies, "Our parents were visiting family here and-"

"No fucking way," Rachel cuts him off mid sentence. Normally, she wouldn't curse, nor would she cut someone off, but she can't help it. "Where in Ohio?"

"Westerville..." Cooper answers cautiously, "Why?"

"_I knew it!__" _She exclaims, "I knew I recognized him from somewhere. Did Blaine go to Dalton?"

The way Rachel says "_did_" like things will never go back to the way they were before makes Cooper's heart lurch, but he's quickly distracted by the fact that Rachel knows his brother. "He did," He answers, "You know him?"

"Not well, obviously," Rachel says, smiling in Quinn's direction for a moment, "Our show choir competed against his a few times."

"Small world," Cooper replies, smiling back, "Why are you two out here, then?"

"Road trip," Quinn cuts in, joining the conversation again, "Before school started in the fall. We wanted to go out to California."

Cooper is about to say something in response - something along the lines of _that's still possible, you know _- but he's cut off when he hears someone coughing upstairs and quickly realizes it's Blaine. Within a second, he's standing from his spot at the table and bolting up the stairs, Quinn and Rachel close behind, one of them calling out _Cooper, wait, _as he makes his way up the steps. He's throwing the bedroom door open loudly and rushing to Blaine's side the second he's in the room, reaching out for his hand. "Blaine?"

The younger boy's eyes flutter open, blinking rapidly due to the brightness of the room, but once they focus on Cooper, he smiles slightly, "C-Coop?"

"Yeah, it's me," Cooper breaths out, and without even thinking about it - because it's become so natural to him - he surges forward and presses a soft kiss to his brothers lips. And his heart almost leaps out of his chest when he pulls away and turns to look at the girls, making sure that it's okay, and he finds two smiling faces looking on from the doorway.


End file.
